Another Notch in the Beltway by L. A. Long

me to get rid of it. He didn’t want it. He’d pay for the abortion, even have his senior staffer, Gerald Morris, drive me. On the campaign trail, he still preaches prolife. Prolife as long as an unwanted pregnancy doesn’t affect his life.”
    She got up to stir the risotto and check on the fish.
    â€œI’m sorry, Lenore.”
    â€œPlease don’t be sorry; it was my own fault and my own vanity that did me in. I wanted to think I was different, that I mattered. I knew the consequences of unprotected sex; I’m lucky I only got pregnant and not some sexually transmitted disease. I was smart enough to know how not to get myself into the predicament to begin with, so it is my fault.”
    He looked at her across the counter top. Her face was set in a hard grimace. “You should cut yourself some slack for your youthful behavior. As far as I’m concerned, Maxwell took advantage of you and should be shot.”
    â€œI let him take advantage of me.”
    A sigh escaped his lips. “I’ll set the table if you like.”
    â€œThat’s nice, thanks.”
    They agreed, at MP’s suggestion, to suspend talk of her son’s father until after lunch.
    â€œNo need to cause acid reflux.”

Chapter Eleven
    After lunch, Lenore and MP adjourned to her sunroom with the remainder of the wine.
    Lenore stretched like a cat before sitting down on the couch. Her companion watched, wanting to run his hands over the slim band of creamy skin that appeared when she lifted her arms and her shirt rose above her waist. However, he decided to keep his hands to himself for the moment.
    Had it not been for Maxwell showing up, he was hoping to make love with her or at least get off first base. But that would have to wait. He wanted making love to be about them, himself and herself, not Mr. Gray or Byron Maxwell. Although he’d been prepared to overlook John Irving, Maxwell could not be overlooked. He’d played too important a part in her life, in how she formed relationships with men. MP wanted to be the only man on her mind when they made love. He didn’t want to share with memories of Maxwell. She’d obviously thought she loved him at one point.
    He topped off their wine glasses and joined her on the couch.
    Lenore spoke first. “I can’t work up the energy to finish the sordid story of my relationship with Byron Maxwell at the moment. I haven’t seen him in two decades, and the way he scared the shit out of us just walking in, I think I’m coming down from the adrenalin rush. All righteous anger has gone for the moment. Now I’m worried about my son and how all this may affect him.”
    â€œAre you going to tell Nate about his father then?”
    â€œI don’t know. If Maxwell pursues the subject, he has the right to know. While we didn’t get that far in the conversation, I could tell Byron expected me to talk Nate into getting tested.”
    â€œThe man is despicable, Lenore.”
    â€œYes, he is.”
    Despite his deciding not to touch her, he took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
    She looked down at their joined hands.
    â€œMichael Patrick,” she said disengaging her hand from his.
    â€œWhat is it,
mo chuisle
?” he asked gently, lifting her chin so that they looked into one another’s eyes, sapphires to opals.
    Her face was sad and cloudy as she replied, “I can’t start something with you now, MP—”
    He cut her off, “We started something the moment we met. You can’t go back now.”
    She shook her head. “I can’t, MP. This, whatever this is, will be ugly.”
    â€œAll the more reason not to face it alone.”
    â€œI can’t—”
    â€œYou can and you will. I’m not faint of heart.”
    She gave him a weak smile and ran a hand down the side of his face. “But I am.”
    â€œNo, you’re not,” he said, taking her hand and kissing the